I completed a four-year Master’s level program with an emphasis on classical Chinese medicine at Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts in Asheville, North Carolina. The classical component of the curriculum was taught by Jeffrey Yuen, an international leader in the dissemination of classical Chinese medicine.
My license is regulated by the Virginia Board of Medicine, which gives the designation of Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) In order to be licensed, Virginia’s Board of Medicine requires certification by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM.)
Different states give their acupuncturists different titles, but most states require NCCAOM certification, so the level of training among most entry-level acupuncturists is about the same.
Through NCCAOM, I am certified as a Diplomate in Oriental Medicine, a designation that includes both acupuncture and herbalism certifications. This certification includes Clean Needle Technique, a course in best practices of the safe use and disposal of acupuncture needles.